Richard Gayno Patton Obituary
Richard Gayno Patton, age 62 of De Leon, passed away, Friday, May 13, 2016, at the William P. Clements Hospital in Dallas.
The service will be 2:00 P.M. Tuesday, May 17, 2016 at the First Baptist Church in Gorman, with Bro. Barry Schahn officiating. Burial will follow at Oaklawn Cemetery.
Richard was born April 16, 1954 in Orlando, Florida and returned to the Lord May 13, 2016. He was predeceased by his mother, Patricia Patton in 1991 and his
life-giving lung donor, Nathan Romo.
He is survived by his wife, LeVona Highsmith Patton of De Leon; his father, Gayno A. Patton of Fort Worth; three sons, Richard Eric Patton and partner, Chester Zink
of Lancaster, PA, Jayme Lee Patton and wife, Amanda of Medon, TN and Bryan Patton and wife, Felicia of Keller; step-daugher, Charlotte Owen of Blair, OK; five grandchildren,
Alex Lane, Chris Lane, David Eric Patton, Ryan Patton and Sarah Patton; four sisters, Kathy Dimas and husband, Danny of San Diego, CA, Beth Patton of Fort Worth,
Kimberly Hamons of Fort Worth, Namoi Moss and husband, A.J. of Mineral Wells, and host of nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Patricia Ann Patton.
Richard graduated Western Hills High School after attending schools in Amarillo, Abilene, and Japan. He proudly served as a firefighter working his way up to Battalion Chief
in the United States Air Force which allowed him to travel from Texas to Illinois, England and Germany from 1976 until his retirement as a Master Sergeant in 1996.
During that time he achieved his bachelors degree from the University of Phoenix in Fire Safety.
He held numerous positions thereafter, including working for the Goodfellow AFB Food Services, the Roy K. Robb Corrections Facility, the Texas Department of
Highways, as a conductor with Burlington Northern Santa Fe, and in over the road trucking for numerous companies.
Richard married LeVona Highsmith Patton on November 20, 2002. They enjoyed 14 years together. Richard’s hobbies included public speaking and he was an
active member of the Toastmasters. He was known for his humor and easy nature.
He became an active advocate for the National Donor Registry after receiving a double lung transplant in 2011. That transplant gave him another five years of life,
which gave him the opportunity to travel to some places that the military and trucking industry never sent him.
He loved fishing, camping and traveling. He loved a good joke and he had a very unique sense of humor. He will be missed.